Nicola Sturgeon’s deletion of WhatsApps ‘appalling’, says deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner

Angela Rayner – the UK Labour deputy leader – said the deletion of WhatsApp messages raised ‘serious questions’

The deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages by Nicola Sturgeon and other senior Scottish Government figures was “appalling”, Angela Rayner has said.

The deputy leader of the Labour Party said the move prohibited families from getting answers as part of the UK Covid Inquiry and raised “serious questions”.

Ms Sturgeon confirmed she deleted messages while giving evidence to the inquiry on Wednesday, but insisted she rarely used WhatsApp.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner. Picture: Getty Images

The former first minister said she did not use it “to discuss issues of substance or anything that could be described as decision-making”.

The inquiry also heard meetings of senior ministers outside the Scottish Cabinet – known as the “gold command” – were not minuted.

Ms Sturgeon said “salient” points from WhatsApp exchanges were recorded on the corporate record, and the messages then deleted, in line with official guidance.

Ms Rayner was asked about the revelations while on a visit to Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian on Friday.

She said: "I think it’s appalling. Everybody during that period knew exactly the challenges we faced. When you’re making decisions, keeping a record – why would you delete the record, first of all? There are serious questions about that.

"I don’t think that Nicola Sturgeon has answered them credibly, if I’m honest, because those records were incredibly important.

"The Covid inquiry is about learning the lessons, and it’s also about giving the families of the victims answers, so deleting that crucial information, I think, is prohibiting those families getting those answers, and it’s also not giving us a full picture as part of that inquiry.

"So I don’t think it was the right thing to do. There is not a politician that doesn’t understand that actually, those records would have been crucially important, so I don’t buy the idea that it was policy. That’s rubbish. It’s really important, those records, and they should have been handed over.”

First Minister Humza Yousaf previously offered an “unreserved” apology for the Scottish Government’s “frankly poor” handling of requests for WhatsApp messages.

He has announced an external review into the Government’s use of mobile messaging.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar saved his own criticism for Professor Jason Leitch, saying the national clinical director was “cosying up” to Humza Yousaf during the pandemic and becoming involved in politics.

In some of WhatsApp messages exchanged with the now First Minister and published during the UK Covid Inquiry, Prof Leitch called Labour MSP Daniel Johnson a “smart a**e”.

The adviser then added: “Anas says he’s struggling with him and new girl Mercedes” – referring to Labour’s Paul Sweeney and Mercedes Villalba. Opposition parties have since called for Prof Leitch to resign.

Mr Sarwar said: “I think what is a more important issue is how the national clinical director was actually cosying up, beyond his role as an official and getting into the politics. I don’t think in those senior positions people should be overreaching, I think they should be getting on with their job.”

At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Ms Yousaf had defended his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon’s handling of Covid, rejecting “smears and insults” from opponents.